[[Image:Jonah Paffhausen.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Metr. Jonah at his election as metropolitan]]

[[Image:Jonah Paffhausen.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Metr. Jonah at his election as metropolitan]]

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His Beatitude, the Most Blessed '''Jonah (Paffhausen) of Washington and New York''' is the [[primate]] of the [[Orthodox Church in America]] (OCA). He was elected as metropolitan on [[November 12]], 2008, and is scheduled to be formally [[enthronement|enthroned]] on [[December 28]], 2008, in Washington, D.C. Metr. Jonah is also the first convert to the Orthodox faith to be elected as the OCA's primate.

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His Eminence, the Most Reverend '''Jonah (Paffhausen) of Washington''' was the [[primate]] of the [[Orthodox Church in America]] (OCA) until the Holy Synod of Bishops requested and accepted His Eminence's resignation on [[July 7]], 2012. He was elected as metropolitan on [[November 12]], 2008, and was formally [[enthronement|enthroned]] on [[December 28]], 2008, in Washington, D.C. Metr. Jonah is also the first convert to the Orthodox faith to be elected as the OCA's primate.

==Life==

==Life==

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After graduation from UCSC, James went on to study at [[St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Crestwood, New York)|St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary]], graduating in 1985 with an M.Div. and again in 1988 with an M.Th. in Dogmatic Theology. In 1989, he began doctoral studies at Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, but interrupted his studies to spend a year in Russia, working for ''Russkiy Palomnik'' in the publishing arm of the Moscow Patriarchate. During his time in Russia, he was introduced to Russian spirituality and its particular form of monastic life.

After graduation from UCSC, James went on to study at [[St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Crestwood, New York)|St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary]], graduating in 1985 with an M.Div. and again in 1988 with an M.Th. in Dogmatic Theology. In 1989, he began doctoral studies at Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, but interrupted his studies to spend a year in Russia, working for ''Russkiy Palomnik'' in the publishing arm of the Moscow Patriarchate. During his time in Russia, he was introduced to Russian spirituality and its particular form of monastic life.

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He eventually joined [[Valaam Monastery]] as a [[novice]], coming under the spiritual direction of Archimandrite Pankratiy, the monastery's [[abbot]]. Fr. Pankratiy's spiritual father, Elder Kyrill of [[Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra|Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra]], later blessed James to become a [[hieromonk]].

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He eventually joined [[Valaam Monastery]] as a [[novice]], coming under the spiritual direction of Archimandrite [[Pancras (Zherdev) of Valaam|Pankratiy]], the monastery's [[abbot]]. Fr. Pankratiy's spiritual father, Elder [[Cyril (Pavlov)|Kyrill]] of [[Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra|Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra]], later blessed James to become a [[hieromonk]].

In 1994, James was [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[deacon|diaconate]] and [[priest]]hood, and then in the following year, he was [[tonsure]]d a monastic at [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)|St. Tikhon's Monastery]], South Canaan, Pennsylvania, receiving the name Jonah.

In 1994, James was [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[deacon|diaconate]] and [[priest]]hood, and then in the following year, he was [[tonsure]]d a monastic at [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)|St. Tikhon's Monastery]], South Canaan, Pennsylvania, receiving the name Jonah.

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In 2008, Fr. Jonah was elevated to the rank of [[archimandrite]] and sent from the monastery to take on the duties of being an [[auxiliary bishop]] for the OCA's [[Diocese of the South (OCA)|Diocese of the South]]. In September of that year, he was officially elected to that position, and then on [[November 1]] [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] in Dallas as Bishop of Fort Worth, led by Abp. [[Dmitri (Royster) of Dallas]], then ''[[locum tenens]]'' of the OCA's metropolitan see.

In 2008, Fr. Jonah was elevated to the rank of [[archimandrite]] and sent from the monastery to take on the duties of being an [[auxiliary bishop]] for the OCA's [[Diocese of the South (OCA)|Diocese of the South]]. In September of that year, he was officially elected to that position, and then on [[November 1]] [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] in Dallas as Bishop of Fort Worth, led by Abp. [[Dmitri (Royster) of Dallas]], then ''[[locum tenens]]'' of the OCA's metropolitan see.

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Eleven days later, on [[November 12]], Bishop Jonah was elected Metropolitan of the OCA at the 15th All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America, in Pittsburgh, Pa. His formal installation in Washington, D.C., is scheduled for [[December 28]], 2008 at [[St. Nicholas Cathedral (Washington, D.C.)|St. Nicholas Cathedral]].

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Eleven days later, on [[November 12]], Bishop Jonah was elected Metropolitan of the OCA at the 15th All-American Council of the Orthodox Church in America in Pittsburgh. His formal [[enthronement]] in Washington, D.C., was on [[December 28]], 2008, at [[St. Nicholas Cathedral (Washington, D.C.)|St. Nicholas Cathedral]].

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After an episcopate that became increasingly controversial, Metr. Jonah submitted a resignation as the first hierarch of the OCA on [[July 6]], 2012.<ref>[http://oca.org/news/headline-news/metropolitan-jonah-tenders-resignation] Metropolitan Jonah tenders resignation</ref> On [[July 16]], 2012, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the OCA issued a "Statement from the Holy Synod Regarding the Resignation of Metropolitan Jonah".<ref>[http://oca.org/PDF/NEWS/2012/2012-0716-holy-synod-statement.pdf] Statement from the Holy Synod Regarding the Resignation of Metropolitan Jonah</ref>

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before=[[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York|Herman (Swaiko)]]|

before=[[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York|Herman (Swaiko)]]|

title=[[Diocese of Washington and New York (OCA)|Archbishop of Washington and New York]], <br>[[OCA|Metropolitan of All America and Canada (OCA)]]|

title=[[Diocese of Washington and New York (OCA)|Archbishop of Washington and New York]], <br>[[OCA|Metropolitan of All America and Canada (OCA)]]|

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years=2008-present|

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years=2008-2009|

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after=&mdash;}}

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after=[[Michael (Dahulich) of New York|Michael (Dahulich)]]<br><font size="-2">''Bishop of New York and New Jersey''</font>}}

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{{succession|

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before=&mdash;|

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title=[[Diocese of Washington (OCA)|Archbishop of Washington]], <br>[[OCA|Metropolitan of All America and Canada (OCA)]]|

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years=2009-2012|

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after=[[Tikhon (Mollard) of Washington|Tikhon (Mollard)]]}}

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==References==

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<references/>

==Sources==

==Sources==

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*[http://www.dosoca.org/files/08%20Assembly/AbbatialEditorialCollection.pdf Perspectives on Orthodoxy in America] (editorials from ''Divine Ascent'')

*[http://www.dosoca.org/files/08%20Assembly/AbbatialEditorialCollection.pdf Perspectives on Orthodoxy in America] (editorials from ''Divine Ascent'')

*[http://www.ctlibrary.com/rq/1997/winter/3125.html The Eternal Liturgy: Worship in the Orthodox Tradition], from ''re:generation Quarterly''

*[http://www.ctlibrary.com/rq/1997/winter/3125.html The Eternal Liturgy: Worship in the Orthodox Tradition], from ''re:generation Quarterly''

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*[http://www.orthodoxnews.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Features.one&content_id=9859&CFID=72092943&CFTOKEN=53644936&tp_preview=true The Doors of Repentance]: The Journey of the Holy Order of MANS/Christ the Saviour Brotherhood and the St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood into the Canonical Orthodox Church, from ''Again'' magazine

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*[http://www.orthodoxnews.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Features.one&content_id=9859&CFID=72092943&CFTOKEN=53644936&tp_preview=true The Doors of Repentance]: The Journey of the Holy Order of MANS/Christ the Saviour Brotherhood and the [[St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood]] into the Canonical Orthodox Church, from ''Again'' magazine

*[http://www.oca.org/PDF/metropolitan-jonah/MJ.Episcopacy_Primacy_Mother%20Churches.pdf Episcopacy, Primacy and the Mother Churches: A Monastic Perspective]] (from a meeting of the [[Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius]]) (2008)

*[http://www.oca.org/PDF/metropolitan-jonah/MJ.Episcopacy_Primacy_Mother%20Churches.pdf Episcopacy, Primacy and the Mother Churches: A Monastic Perspective]] (from a meeting of the [[Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius]]) (2008)

*[http://www.oca.org/jonah-acceptance.html Acceptance speech], at his election as auxiliary bishop of Fort Worth

*[http://www.oca.org/jonah-acceptance.html Acceptance speech], at his election as auxiliary bishop of Fort Worth

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[[Category:Bishops]]

[[Category:Bishops]]

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[[Category:21st-century bishops]]

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[[Category:Bishops of Fort Worth]]

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[[Category:Bishops of New York]]

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[[Category:Bishops of Washington]]

[[Category:Metropolitans of the OCA]]

[[Category:Metropolitans of the OCA]]

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[[Category:Converts to Orthodox Christianity|Paffhausen]]

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[[Category:Converts to Orthodox Christianity from Protestantism|Paffhausen]]

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[[Category:St. Vladimir's Seminary Graduates]]

Revision as of 18:40, November 16, 2012

Metr. Jonah at his election as metropolitan

His Eminence, the Most Reverend Jonah (Paffhausen) of Washington was the primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) until the Holy Synod of Bishops requested and accepted His Eminence's resignation on July 7, 2012. He was elected as metropolitan on November 12, 2008, and was formally enthroned on December 28, 2008, in Washington, D.C. Metr. Jonah is also the first convert to the Orthodox faith to be elected as the OCA's primate.

Contents

Life

James Paffhausen was born in Chicago, Illinois, and baptized into the Episcopal Church. His family later moved to La Jolla, California, near San Diego. In 1978, he was received into the Orthodox Church at Our Lady of Kazan Church (Moscow Patriarchate) while studying at the University of California - San Diego. James later transferred to UC - Santa Cruz and helped to establish an OCF chapter there.

After graduation from UCSC, James went on to study at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, graduating in 1985 with an M.Div. and again in 1988 with an M.Th. in Dogmatic Theology. In 1989, he began doctoral studies at Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, but interrupted his studies to spend a year in Russia, working for Russkiy Palomnik in the publishing arm of the Moscow Patriarchate. During his time in Russia, he was introduced to Russian spirituality and its particular form of monastic life.

Hmk. Jonah returned to his home state of California, serving a number of mission parishes there and later given the obedience to establish a monastery. In 1996, St. John of San Francisco Monastery was founded in Point Reyes, California (later moving to Manton). During his tenure as abbot, Fr. Jonah grew the monastic community to more than fifteen members. In this period, he also worked to establish Californian missions in Merced, Sonora, Chico, Eureka, Redding, and Susanville, among others, and in Kona, Hawaii.

After an episcopate that became increasingly controversial, Metr. Jonah submitted a resignation as the first hierarch of the OCA on July 6, 2012.[1] On July 16, 2012, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the OCA issued a "Statement from the Holy Synod Regarding the Resignation of Metropolitan Jonah".[2]